Teleconferencing system for allowing large numbers of callers by transferring callers to connected servers in a call bridge

Abstract

A teleconferencing system based on application software run on a primary server that establishes a teleconference involving a plurality of callers and at least one facilitator. The teleconferencing system enables transferring callers from the primary server to connected secondary servers, each of which is connected to the primary server, thereby enabling the size of the teleconference to scale either upon initiation of or during the teleconference. Callers may be transferred to secondary servers, and secondary servers may be added or removed from the teleconferencing system during a teleconference. The inventive teleconferencing system enables an almost unlimited number of callers to participate in a teleconference.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A teleconferencing system, comprising;
 a primary server and a secondary server; 
 a computer system operating on said primary server; 
 a switch on said primary server for interconnecting a plurality of callers and a first facilitator on said primary server using at least one communication medium, said switch operatively connected to said secondary server; and 
 application software running on said primary server and controlled by said computer system, said application software for controlling said switch and for monitoring the number of callers connected to said primary server; 
 wherein said application software can cause said switch to use said communication medium to interconnect said plurality of callers and said first facilitator into a teleconference; and 
 wherein said application software can selectively cause said switch to transfer a caller from said primary server to said secondary server. 
 
     
     
       2. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said teleconference includes callers transferred to said secondary server. 
     
     
       3. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said transfer depends on the number of callers connected to said primary server. 
     
     
       4. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 3 , wherein said application software automatically transfers callers to said secondary server based on the number of callers connected to said primary server. 
     
     
       5. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said computer system includes a user interface to inform said facilitator that a caller has been transferred. 
     
     
       6. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 5 , wherein a transfer of at least one caller of said plurality of callers is performed at the direction of said facilitator. 
     
     
       7. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 6 , wherein said application software can cause said computer system to retrieve information about said at least one caller from a database. 
     
     
       8. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 5 , wherein said transfer of at least one caller is initiated by said facilitator using a manual interface. 
     
     
       9. A teleconferencing system, comprising;
 a primary server, a first secondary server, and a second secondary server; 
 a computer system operating on said primary server; 
 a switch on said primary server for interconnecting a plurality of callers and a first facilitator on said primary server using at least one communication medium, said switch operatively connected to said secondary server; and 
 application software running on said primary server and controlled by said computer system, said application software for controlling said switch and for monitoring the number of callers of said plurality of callers connected to said primary server, said first secondary server, and said second secondary server; 
 wherein said application software can cause said switch to use said communication medium to interconnect said plurality of callers and said first facilitator into a teleconference; and 
 wherein said application software can selectively cause said switch to transfer callers from said primary server to said first secondary server and to said second secondary server. 
 
     
     
       10. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 9 , wherein said second secondary server is connected to said first secondary server but not to said primary server. 
     
     
       11. A teleconferencing system according to  claim 10 , wherein callers connected to said primary server, to said first secondary server, and to said second secondary server all participate in the same teleconference.